Musings of an American expat in Bulgaria (with detours in Utah and Alaska)

Kordopulov House Museum | Melnik, Bulgaria

Visiting the Kordopulov House Museum in Melnik was the best 4 lv Vince and I have ever spent!

I’m a sucker for historical architecture and museums in general, so Bulgarian house museums are the best of both worlds. Out of all the house museums I have been to, the Kordopulov House (built in 1754) is, by far, my favorite. The house is the largest of its kind in the country and is really a hidden gem. Alright, I am not sure about how “hidden” it is considering it’s one of the main attractions in Melnik, but I had never heard of it until reading up on the area in my LP guidebook and even then not much was said about how truly awesome it is.

For a whopping 2 lv (about $1.40) each, Vince and I were given free reign to tour the house, take photos (which I later read online other people have been charged for), explore the house’s huge wine cellar, and enjoy a wine tasting.

Like I said. Best money we’ve ever spent in BG!

It’s incredibly interesting to think about all the generations who called the building home. It’s a huge and grand house, even by today’s standards. There was even a sauna!

Like the house museums in Koprivshtitsa, each of the rooms in the Kordopulov House contain period furnishings and items of historical importance. The wealth of the original owner, Greek wine merchant Manolis Kordopulos, is clearly evident in the sheer size of the place as well as the imported Venetian stained glass windows, several private gardens, and wine cellar tunneled into the mountainside.

After touring the different living spaces and climbing up to the rooftop gardens, we made our way to the lower levels of the house, which today feature a small restaurant and a wine tasting room which leads into the cellar tunnels.
Staring into the dimly lit, cave-like cellar was a little creepy at first, but ended up being a totally awesome experience. There are dozens of HUGE barrels actively being used to store and age the wine.

Vince pressed a coin into the tunnel wall for good luck; a tradition that is clearly very popular!

After touring the wine cellar, we were treated to a wine tasting. We got to try several different wines produced by the house and eventually settled on a red from 2011. We are kicking ourselves for not buying more than one bottle; it was delicious! We are already planning a return trip to Kordopulov House just to buy the wine!

As a great bonus, the ruins of the 15th c. Sveta Barbara Church lie at the base of the path leading up to the house. There isn’t much left, but they are picturesque, nonetheless.

If you are planning a trip to Melnik, I highly recommend a visit to Kordopulov House. I promise you won’t regret it!

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Hello there!

I'm Whitney...an American gal married to a Bulgarian gent living an adventurous life outside of little Trapper Creek, Alaska. Here on GMB I write about the good, the bad, and the funny that come along with a life of continued wanderlust. I'm addicted to travel, photography, crafting, eating good food, and spending time with my adorable hubs. All of these topics (and more!) are frequently featured, so...pull up a chair and stay awhile! I would love to get to know you!

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